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thus the air actually waters the fresh dug soil ; besides when the soil is kept loose and 

 porous the air enters more deeply and this moisture is brought into immediate contact with 

 the roots of the plants. An hour with the hoe among the cabbage plants will do more 

 good than two hours spent in watering. 



The cabbage and the cauliflower are attacked by numerous insect enemies. The 

 caterpillars of the cabbage moth do great mischief by eating the hearts of cabbages and 

 cauliflowers, rendering them totally unfit for use. Hand picking and dusting the plants 

 with newly slaked lime are probably the most reliable means known by which these 

 destructive pests can be kept in check. Some use fine road dust, and they claim with 

 good eSect. Other remedies have been tried with various results, such as dusting with 

 cayenne pepper, and throwing hot water upon the plants. The cabbage louse proves 

 very injurious also. Slaked lime is probably the best and safest remedy. Another very 

 injurious insect is the one which produces what is known as "club-root." This is the 

 most destructive disease to which the cabbage tribe is subject. It is most generally 

 ascribed to one or more species of insects, maggots being generally found in the tubercles. 

 Lime, wood ashes, soot, nitrate of soda, and common salt are considered to be useful 

 applications to the soil in which cabbage and cauliflower is to be grown in oi'der to destroy 

 these noxious insects. It is also a good plan to dip the roots of plants about to be set 

 out in a mixture of soot and water made of the consistency of thick paint. To thi& 

 some recommend the addition of saltpetre in the proportion of one pound to every gallon of 

 soot. When setting out, the plants should be cai-ef ully examined and any aflTected in the 

 least should be destroyed. It is claimed that cabbage grown near the salt water is in- 

 variably free from club-root, from which I would infer that salt would prove a valuable 

 addition to the soil where the crop is to be grown. 



For delicacy and sweetness of flavour we have nothing in the vegetable garden to 

 surpass a well developed cauliflower. But in order to produce perfect specimens there 

 must be no stoppage of growth from the time the plants are set out until the head is 

 ready for the knife. The cauliflower requires a rich soil and an abundance of water. In 

 a dry season unless the plants are watered often and abundantly they will come out of 

 proper form and very loose and spindling in head. In fact it is vain to look for a com- 

 pact, white head unless there is a rapid and continued growth from the setting of the 

 plant to maturity. Liquid manure should be used freely in watering, and the soil kept 

 loose by hoeing deep. In other respects cauliflower requires the same cultivation and 

 care as cabbage. It is also subject to the same insect enemies. 



Celery is becoming appreciated more and more, so that now instead of being looked 

 upon as a luxury it is considered almost a necessity. NerA'ous rheumatic people find 

 great benefit in a free use of celery both raw and cooked. A light rich and rather moist 

 soil is best adapted for th_p growth of celery, whilst one which is heavy, wet and adhesive 

 is unfavourable to it. Light sandy loam well manured with cow dung produces good 

 celery, provided plenty of moisture be afibrded. Good peat soil, limed and manured will 

 also produce large solid heads. In order to obtain good strong plants for setting out, it 

 is best to transplant from the hot-bed, when the plants are three inches high, to a well 

 prepared bed placing the .plants about five inches apart. If well attended to here they 

 will be fine stocky plants in about three weeks, when they can be removed to trenches. 

 The trenches should be prepared beforehand by digging about two feet deep, and working 

 in well-rotted manure and top soil about fourteen to eighteen inches. The trenches 

 .should be about four feet apart. The plants can be set six or eight inches apart in the 

 trenches. When planting all straggling leaves should be pinched ofl" and the plants set 

 in firm. The after culture consists in stirring the soil often and earthing up occasionally 

 during the summer, taking care not to allow any earth among the stems for fear of rusting 

 them. The earthing up should be done when the stems are perfectly dry. 



Celery suffers from the attacks of the celery fly, which lays its egi^s in or upon the 

 leaves and larvie pi'oduced feed upon the leaves forming blisters. The only way of 

 limiting their numbers is by pinching the blisters as soon as they appear, and cutting 

 and burning all the blistered and spotted leaves that can be removed with safety 

 to the plant. Celery is liable to canker in some soils particularly in such as contain much 

 oxide of iron. I have seen celery blanched beautifully by placing a four inch tile over 



